The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders praises President Bush’s proposed Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, outlined Tuesday night during his State of the Union Address.
Ellen ‘t Hoen, coordinator of the group’s Access to Essential Medicines campaign, says it appears to be a shift in HIV/AIDS policy by the Bush administration. She says Mr. Bush’s comments about lowering the price of AIDS medications indicates he may now favor greater access to generic drugs, as opposed to much more expensive brand name medicines.
Ms. ‘t Hoen also praises the president’s call for $10 billion dollars in new AIDS spending over the next ten years, but would like to see more of it allocated to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She calls on European nations to match the US plan. Ellen ‘t Hoen spoke from Paris to English to Africa reporter Joe De Capua.
Click the above links to download or listen to Elenn 't Hoen's comments.